10 Hard Rock Bands That FIRED Members

The first thing people typically think of when Pantera is brought up in conversation is the undeniable riffs and the absolute brutality that the band brought to the metal scene. Each record of the band's glory years helped push metal forward in the era of the alt-rock explosion. Their work in the 90's was so unprecedented that people tend to forget that the band started off as a glam-metal act.

With the band's first few releases, the talent was certainly there, but the tonal shift between their later material is glaring in retrospect. One of the greatest influences on the band's sound at the time was the high searing timbre of vocalist Terry Glaze. However, as the Abbott brothers were inspired by heavier acts like Slayer and Metallica, the more Glaze's vocals didn't suit the band's style.

After 3 records, the band parted ways with Glaze and introduced the rip-roaring growl of Phil Anselmo, whose feral shout fit in much better with the groove of the band. The band's debut with Anselmo on Power Metal showed the heavier direction that the band would come to cultivate further down the road. Though Glaze couldn't join in the fun, Pantera's rise to the upper echelons of metal was unstoppable once Anselmo joined their ranks.